233:
224:
157:
212:
201:
143:
37:
1025:
169:
181:
1100:
Wealthy women inside the fort were let go by the French the same day. On 17 May, the Allied garrison indiscriminately burned down the buildings outside the fort to deny the French of cover and concealment, without giving any thought to the most likely French avenues of approach. They also failed to
1069:. The Marquis de Conflans had been ordered to take command of the fortress' regiments but was captured by the French on 16 May before he could make the journey. The Allies had prioritized the more important forts of Brussels and Oudenarde and would be caught by surprise when the siege of Ath began.
1007:
were usually the first to be captured but smaller re-entry angles between and behind the salients could be packed with dozens of troops to prevent the besieger from exploiting the capture of one section of the counterscarp. Two of the Ath bastions also had reinforced bulwarks in front of them for
1020:
at the top of the slope. A contemporary journal called Vauban's creation a "perfect model of the Art". The French engineer himself had given some thought to the matter of besieging the fort ever since he had designed it.
909:
front. In mid-April 1697 French forces began the campaign and prepared to besiege the strong fortress of Ath to demonstrate France's military pre-eminence to the Allied negotiators.
929:
in June 1667 when the
Spanish garrison fled the town without fighting, the walls were razed by Vauban in 1668. From 1668–1674 he replaced the ancient fortifications with eight new
778:
304:
709:
768:
333:
455:
697:
687:
1144:
Catinat and
Boufflers reviewed their forces on 22 May; at 7:00 PM the first parallel trench was opened against the eastern side of the town from a distance of 650 paces.
731:
393:
388:
492:
450:
502:
1065:
The under-strength Allied garrison of 3,850 men was commanded by the lethargic 65-year old Comte de Roeux. Due to Roeux's frequent inactivity, command devolved to
534:
408:
524:
482:
477:
373:
378:
428:
297:
1434:
1089:
river and established itself in three camps about 10 kilometers from the fortress. The camps were separated by the
Western and Eastern branches of the
1419:
290:
1414:
1429:
1066:
237:
1132:
and their civilian driver teams had to recruited from the region as well. Some 20,000 peasants were ordered to help dig the lines of
1082:
847:
present, two were killed and seven seriously wounded. This demonstration of French military potency, combined with the successful
1128:
were conscripted to assist the French military surgeons with the wounded. 4,000 wagons were required to transport supplies and
954:
gate added eight feet to the water's height, which was normally only several feet high. The bastions were within effective
862:'s masterpiece and the most efficient siege ever conducted, owing to its speed, low costs and the modernity of the eight-
1385:
692:
90:
1366:
1113:
fire at the far too distant French camps. All of this was noted by Vauban, who concluded that Roeux was incompetent.
736:
539:
1077:
A 12,000-man French cavalry force arrived before Ath on the morning of 16 May, securing all roads, river crossings,
205:
1409:
1424:
1054:
of cavalry, some 40,000 men in total. Vauban was assisted by Jean de
Mesgrigny and 62 select engineers. Marshals
1046:
Marshal Vauban had a strong working relationship and would cooperate seamlessly during the siege. Catinat had 50
901:
but the absence of a knockout blow on either side encouraged the participants to continue the struggle. When the
1097:
to facilitate communications. Boufflers' and
Villeroi's armies took up covering positions on Catinat's flanks.
413:
1055:
576:
1093:, which meet at Ath, and the French got to work setting up siege lines and regimental quarters and building
905:
defected from the Grand
Alliance in late 1696, Louis XIV saw that the time had come decide the issue on the
943:
783:
726:
445:
1439:
811:
for the siege and used less than half of it. Consumption of other material amounted to 34,000 pounds of
1404:
1036:
746:
875:
848:
751:
544:
418:
1013:
1012:
was the final piece of the outer perimeter. It presented the besiegers with murderous interlocking
648:
626:
606:
514:
348:
1378:
Vauban Under Siege: Engineering
Efficiency and Martial Vigor in the War of the Spanish Succession
660:
596:
571:
851:
of
Barcelona the same year, convinced the Allies to come to terms with France in the treaty of
773:
758:
950:
that made the top of the wall 30-feet high to someone standing at the bottom. When opened, a
682:
487:
460:
403:
368:
363:
936:
721:
601:
423:
353:
343:
8:
906:
655:
638:
591:
529:
497:
472:
398:
80:
959:
935:
angled bastions. In 1678 the modern fort was handed back to the
Spanish as part of the
800:
741:
670:
643:
519:
338:
314:
28:
1381:
1362:
926:
852:
763:
665:
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556:
232:
223:
211:
200:
162:
148:
1062:
commanded the two covering forces, whose combined strength amounted to 140,000 men.
958:
range of each other or no more than 600 feet apart. The bastions were separated by
616:
561:
383:
36:
1133:
1051:
1039:
931:
925:
had been upgraded by the
Spanish. Upon the French capture of the fort during the
820:
586:
358:
216:
999:
around the fort. At Ath it was located 120 feet beyond the ravelins. The angled
1024:
1000:
902:
879:
566:
186:
1398:
882:
fortress of Ath stood on the sidelines of the fighting. The French armies of
611:
581:
105:
92:
1121:
1081:
and buildings within a several-kilometer radius. Catinat's main force left
992:
894:, while leaving untouched the medium-sized Ath with its 6,000 inhabitants.
832:
804:
282:
1028:
996:
970:
located above the ditch. In front of the outworks were huge, triangular
1136:
to defend against attacks from the garrison or possible relief forces.
816:
922:
866:
fortress, which had been designed by Vauban himself 25 years earlier.
1129:
1109:, of which the French would make use. The Allies directed inaccurate
1047:
891:
883:
808:
1359:
The Fortress in the Age of Vauban and Frederick the Great 1660-1789
1102:
1059:
1043:
1017:
918:
887:
844:
1125:
1117:
1086:
1004:
988:
984:
980:
972:
963:
898:
863:
836:
828:
824:
84:
1152:
The garrison was denied honours of war and was taken prisoner.
1349:
1110:
1106:
1094:
1090:
1009:
976:
955:
951:
859:
840:
1078:
947:
174:
812:
897:
Peace negotiations to end the war got underway in 1695 in
76:
1322:
1310:
1298:
1288:
1286:
1273:
1271:
1256:
1229:
1227:
1214:
1212:
1175:
1173:
1171:
1169:
1246:
1244:
1242:
1283:
1268:
1224:
1209:
1197:
1185:
1166:
991:guns. The outer wall of the ditch was known as the
1239:
1016:from the defenders, who also had a double line of
1396:
1346:Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905)
799:(15 May 1697 – 5 June 1697) was a siege of the
886:menaced the more important fortified towns of
298:
1031:of Ath constructed in 1697 after its capture
983:fortifications that could house hundreds of
312:
835:. After the garrison's capitulation, 6,000
858:The siege was hailed by contemporaries as
305:
291:
35:
1435:Battles involving the Spanish Netherlands
1067:Anthony GĂĽnther, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
1023:
139:
41:Engraved map of the siege of Ath in 1697
1375:
1328:
1316:
1304:
1292:
1277:
1262:
1233:
1218:
1203:
1191:
803:. The French stockpiled 266,000 French
1420:Sieges involving the Holy Roman Empire
1397:
1343:
1179:
1356:
1250:
286:
16:1697 siege during the Nine Years' War
1120:from the surrounding cities such as
1415:Sieges involving the Dutch Republic
13:
1035:The commander of the siege force,
1008:additional protection. The sloped
831:. The financial costs were 89,250
275:3,700 killed, wounded and captured
14:
1451:
231:
222:
210:
199:
179:
167:
155:
141:
1337:
1430:Battles of the Nine Years' War
59:(2 weeks and 6 days)
1:
1155:
1072:
878:broke out in 1688 the modern
869:
1160:
1147:
328:Flanders and the Lower Rhine
277:32 artillery pieces captured
7:
257:41 smaller artillery pieces
10:
1456:
1085:the same day, crossed the
912:
876:War of the Grand Alliance
324:
266:
243:
192:
133:
65:22 May 1697 – 5 June 1697
57:16 May 1697 – 5 June 1697
45:
34:
26:
21:
1139:
251:20,000 civilian laborers
1410:Sieges involving France
855:, thus ending the war.
238:Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
1425:Sieges involving Spain
1032:
995:, which served as the
839:workers filled up the
272:200 killed and wounded
193:Commanders and leaders
1027:
737:Barfleur and La Hogue
267:Casualties and losses
1376:Ostwald, J. (2006).
946:was surrounded by a
937:Treaties of Nijmegen
540:Sant Esteve d'en Bas
1344:Bodart, G. (1908).
907:Spanish Netherlands
843:. Of the 62 French
693:Cartagena de Indias
639:Invasion of England
262:32 artillery pieces
102: /
81:Spanish Netherlands
22:Siege of Ath (1697)
1440:History of Hainaut
1357:Duffy, C. (1985).
1033:
987:and several small-
520:Second Brotherhood
1405:Conflicts in 1697
1265:, pp. 25–26.
927:War of Devolution
792:
791:
281:
280:
206:Marquis de Vauban
163:Holy Roman Empire
129:
128:
1447:
1391:
1372:
1353:
1332:
1331:, p. 24–25.
1326:
1320:
1319:, p. 23–24.
1314:
1308:
1307:, p. 22–24.
1302:
1296:
1290:
1281:
1275:
1266:
1260:
1254:
1248:
1237:
1231:
1222:
1216:
1207:
1201:
1195:
1189:
1183:
1177:
1003:of the open-air
612:Cork and Kinsale
319:
317:
307:
300:
293:
284:
283:
236:
235:
227:
226:
215:
214:
204:
203:
185:
183:
182:
173:
171:
170:
161:
159:
158:
151:
147:
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144:
117:
116:
114:
113:
112:
107:
106:50.617°N 3.767°E
103:
100:
99:
98:
95:
47:
46:
39:
19:
18:
1455:
1454:
1450:
1449:
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1395:
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1369:
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1249:
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1210:
1202:
1198:
1190:
1186:
1178:
1167:
1163:
1158:
1150:
1142:
1134:circumvallation
1075:
1040:Nicolas Catinat
932:trace italienne
915:
872:
801:Nine Years' War
793:
788:
320:
316:Nine Years' War
315:
313:
311:
276:
261:
256:
254:
252:
250:
230:
229:
221:
217:Nicolas Catinat
209:
208:
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165:
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154:
142:
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110:
108:
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101:
96:
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91:
89:
88:
87:
66:
64:
60:
58:
56:
40:
29:Nine Years' War
17:
12:
11:
5:
1453:
1443:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1407:
1393:
1392:
1387:978-9004154896
1386:
1373:
1367:
1354:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1333:
1321:
1309:
1297:
1282:
1267:
1255:
1238:
1223:
1208:
1196:
1184:
1182:, p. 121.
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1149:
1146:
1141:
1138:
1101:burn down the
1074:
1071:
1042:and his chief
1014:fields of fire
917:In 1540 Ath's
914:
911:
903:Duchy of Savoy
871:
868:
790:
789:
787:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
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228:Comte de Roeux
219:
195:
194:
190:
189:
187:Dutch Republic
152:
136:
135:
131:
130:
127:
126:
125:French victory
123:
119:
118:
83:, present-day
75:
73:
69:
68:
67:(2 weeks)
51:
43:
42:
32:
31:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1452:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1400:
1389:
1383:
1379:
1374:
1370:
1368:0-7100-9648-8
1364:
1361:. Routledge.
1360:
1355:
1352:: C.W. Stern.
1351:
1347:
1342:
1341:
1330:
1325:
1318:
1313:
1306:
1301:
1295:, p. 23.
1294:
1289:
1287:
1280:, p. 28.
1279:
1274:
1272:
1264:
1259:
1253:, p. 30.
1252:
1247:
1245:
1243:
1236:, p. 25.
1235:
1230:
1228:
1221:, p. 21.
1220:
1215:
1213:
1206:, p. 37.
1205:
1200:
1194:, p. 36.
1193:
1188:
1181:
1176:
1174:
1172:
1170:
1165:
1153:
1145:
1137:
1135:
1131:
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1123:
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1084:
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945:
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938:
934:
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928:
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904:
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895:
893:
889:
885:
881:
877:
867:
865:
861:
856:
854:
850:
846:
842:
838:
834:
833:French livres
830:
826:
822:
818:
814:
810:
806:
802:
798:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
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750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
739:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
719:
716:Naval battles
715:
714:
711:
708:
707:
703:
702:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
680:
676:
675:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
661:Killiecrankie
659:
657:
654:
650:
647:
645:
642:
641:
640:
637:
636:
633:Great Britain
632:
631:
628:
625:
623:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
603:
600:
598:
595:
593:
590:
588:
585:
583:
580:
578:
577:Carrickfergus
575:
573:
572:Newtownbutler
570:
568:
565:
563:
560:
558:
555:
554:
550:
549:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
512:
508:
507:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
486:
484:
481:
479:
476:
474:
471:
470:
466:
465:
462:
459:
457:
454:
452:
449:
447:
444:
443:
439:
438:
435:
432:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
419:2nd Diksmuide
417:
415:
412:
410:
407:
405:
402:
400:
397:
395:
394:1st Diksmuide
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
331:
327:
326:
323:
318:
308:
303:
301:
296:
294:
289:
288:
285:
274:
271:
270:
265:
259:
255:39 other guns
253:34 siege guns
248:
247:
242:
239:
234:
225:
220:
218:
213:
207:
202:
197:
196:
191:
188:
176:
164:
153:
150:
138:
137:
132:
124:
121:
120:
115:
111:50.617; 3.767
86:
82:
78:
74:
71:
70:
63:
55:
52:
49:
48:
44:
38:
33:
30:
25:
20:
1377:
1358:
1345:
1338:Bibliography
1329:Ostwald 2006
1324:
1317:Ostwald 2006
1312:
1305:Ostwald 2006
1300:
1293:Ostwald 2006
1278:Ostwald 2006
1263:Ostwald 2006
1258:
1234:Ostwald 2006
1219:Ostwald 2006
1204:Ostwald 2006
1199:
1192:Ostwald 2006
1187:
1151:
1143:
1122:Valenciennes
1115:
1099:
1091:River Dender
1076:
1064:
1050:and as many
1034:
993:counterscarp
971:
967:
944:curtain wall
941:
930:
916:
896:
873:
857:
797:siege of Ath
796:
794:
627:2nd Limerick
607:1st Limerick
446:Philippsburg
433:
334:Kaiserswerth
134:Belligerents
61:
53:
27:Part of the
1180:Bodart 1908
1029:Plan-relief
997:covered way
942:The fort's
827:and 12,000
823:bombs, 950
817:cannonballs
784:Dogger Bank
727:Beachy Head
698:3rd Guárico
688:2nd Guárico
683:1st Guárico
617:2nd Athlone
597:1st Athlone
456:Frankenthal
440:Upper Rhine
369:Steenkerque
109: /
54:Investment:
1399:Categories
1251:Duffy 1985
1156:References
1073:Investment
1048:battalions
921:walls and
870:Background
722:Bantry Bay
710:Pondichéry
515:Barretinas
429:2nd Deinze
409:1st Deinze
374:Dottignies
249:40,000 men
94:50°37′01″N
1380:. Brill.
1161:Citations
1148:Aftermath
1130:armaments
1116:Civilian
1103:hedgerows
1056:Boufflers
1052:squadrons
1018:palisades
968:tenailles
892:Oudenarde
884:Louis XIV
874:When the
845:engineers
815:, 27,050
809:gunpowder
747:Cherbourg
677:Caribbean
656:Loup Hill
644:Wincanton
602:Waterford
545:Barcelona
530:Torroella
509:Catalonia
498:Marsaglia
473:Staffarda
404:2nd Namur
389:Charleroi
364:1st Namur
260:3,850 men
97:3°46′01″E
1118:surgeons
1060:Villeroi
1044:engineer
1001:salients
985:soldiers
964:outworks
962:-shaped
919:medieval
888:Brussels
849:storming
841:trenches
829:sandbags
825:grenades
819:, 3,400
752:La Hogue
742:Barfleur
732:Alicante
671:Cromdale
493:Pinerolo
467:Piedmont
451:Mannheim
414:Brussels
339:Walcourt
244:Strength
72:Location
1126:Cambrai
1107:gardens
1095:bridges
1087:Scheldt
1083:Helchin
1037:Marshal
1005:walkway
989:caliber
981:masonry
977:islands
973:ravelin
966:called
960:chevron
923:château
913:Prelude
899:Ryswick
880:Spanish
864:bastion
853:Ryswick
837:peasant
779:Dunkirk
764:Camaret
666:Dunkeld
649:Reading
622:Aughrim
562:Dromore
551:Ireland
503:Valenza
399:2nd Huy
379:1st Huy
349:Fleurus
85:Belgium
1384:
1365:
1350:Vienna
1111:cannon
1079:abbeys
1010:glacis
956:musket
952:sluice
860:Vauban
821:mortar
805:pounds
769:Dieppe
557:Bandon
535:Girona
384:Landen
184:
172:
160:
149:France
146:
122:Result
62:Siege:
1140:Siege
979:with
948:ditch
774:Texel
759:Lagos
592:Boyne
587:Cavan
582:Newry
567:Derry
525:Roses
488:Cuneo
461:Mainz
424:Givet
359:Leuze
175:Spain
1382:ISBN
1363:ISBN
1124:and
1105:and
1058:and
890:and
813:lead
795:The
704:Asia
483:Nice
478:Susa
354:Mons
344:Bonn
50:Date
807:of
434:Ath
77:Ath
1401::
1348:.
1285:^
1270:^
1241:^
1226:^
1211:^
1168:^
939:.
79:,
1390:.
1371:.
306:e
299:t
292:v
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